Missouri Union Presbytery

Church and Society Mission Team

Second Meeting: 4/22/07

First Presbyterian -- Columbia, Missouri

Members Present:

Team Moderator, Debby Howland, Jefferson City

Nancy Copenhaver, Moberly

Ruth Thompson, Harrisburg

Jerry Simon, Jefferson City

Brian Long, Jefferson City

Special Guest: Brian Kinkade, Columbia

Moderator Howland opened the meeting with a prayer and welcomed the attendees to the meeting.  She noted that several team members were absent due to last minute scheduling conflicts.

The members reviewed and approved the minutes from the February 11 meeting.

Coordinator Long reviewed the team’s “charge”and gave an update on activities since the February meeting.  He reviewed the three concerns that members agreed to focus upon including:  Low-income health care, Financial impediments to vital social programs, and Predatory lending.  He gave a brief update on legislative developments related to each of these issues and noted that the General Assembly is not taking actions on any of these issues that support the positions taken by the Mission Team. 

Coordinator Long directed the members attention to the newly created website at http://www.fpcjcmo.org/society_mission for continuous and timely information on these issues.  He pointed out that the website is linked to the Missouri Union Presbytery website and that team meeting dates and brief updates are listed on the Presbytery site.

Coordinator Long reviewed outreach activities aimed at informing members of the Presbytery of the team’s activities.  Beyond links to the Presbytery website, he sent an informational email to all Presbyterians who are generally included in email communications related to Presbytery business.  He also sent an informational letter via the postal service to all pastors in the Presbytery and to the general presbyters of the other three Missouri Presbyteries.  He noted that these communications have elicited only two emails asking to be kept apprised of our activities.

The remainder of the meeting focused on methods of better communicating with Presbyterians and other denominations around the state. 

Moderator Howland told the group that the team has been asked to provide a brief update on our activities at the May 17 Presbytery meeting at Covenant Point.  Brian Long agreed to present the update on behalf of the team.

Nancy Copenhaver volunteered to distribute information on the Mission Team at next week’s Presbyterian Children’s Services Board meeting in Springfield. 

Moderator Howland shared a pastoral letter from Pastor Beard on the need for Medicaid reform and suggested that it may be submitted as a letter to the editor at major newspapers across the state.  Ruth Thompson shared a pastoral letter by Associate Pastor Kathie Jackson on the same topic and suggested that the two letters be posted on the team website.  Coordinator Long agreed to add the letters to the site.

Moderator Howland told the group about an ecumenical effort called “Churches United in Christ”composed of Bishops and other Church leaders from 10 denominations who are advocating for improved access to health care for low-income Missourians.  The leaders preached at several Jefferson City churches on April 22 and planned to meet with Governor Blunt on April 23 to discuss their common concerns over the current effort to rewrite the state’s Medicaid laws (SB 577).  However, Governor Blunt cancelled the meeting at the last moment.  The pastors will continue with their plan to testify against SB 577 at a Missouri House hearing. 

The team expressed surprise and concern that the Governor cancelled a meeting with such an earnest and import group of church leaders.  Moderator Howland volunteered to investigate the circumstances of the meeting’s cancellation.  Moreover, she will work with Pastor Beard and Brian Long to gain a better understanding of the composition of Churches United in Christ, its origin, and future plans.  The team members agreed that the formation and action of such a group is an encouraging sign.

Team members agreed to conduct the following outreach activities and to report back to Coordinator Long by May1:

Ruth Thompson:  Work with Associate Pastor Jackson to inform the women pastors group of our Mission Team activities;

Debby Howland:  Establish a connection with Eva Schulte at the Kansas City Church Community Organization;

Nancy Copenhaver:  Contact Representative Judy Baker about establishing a link with her husband who is pastor at First Baptist Church in Columbia;

Brian Long:  Contact Beth Griffin at Citizens For Missouri’s Children to learn more about an ecumenical, faith-based group that is supporting their actions;

Pastor Beard:  Will be asked to continue working with the Jefferson City Ministerial Alliance and to advise the team on how best to again contact the Synod Office and the other Missouri Presbyteries.

The members agreed that it may be necessary to approach church leaders in face-to-face meetings in order to get a better idea of their interest in the team’s activities and to gage the value of our efforts.  To this end, we will seek Pastor Beard’s advice on how best to proceed with personal contracts both inside and outside of the Presbyterian Church.

The team agreed to schedule the next meeting for June 10th at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia.

Respectfully submitted,

Brian K. Long